Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Gluten-Free and Nut-Free)

Today, I’m sharing a healthier chocolate cake version that is so good! It’s vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and has no added sugar!

This cake is entirely sweetened with dates (unless you make the alternate frosting, in which case it uses maple syrup), and it’s so darn healthy that you can treat yourself to a big ol’ piece and feel good about it!

Cake Ingredients

• 1 cup oat flour*
• ¼ cup cacao powder (I like a scant ¼ cup)
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. Himalayan salt
• ⅔ cup pitted packed dates (130 g)**
• ¾ cup warm water
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• ⅔ cup lightly packed shredded zucchini
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional, but makes it even better!)

*Simply grind oats in a blender, coffee grinder, or food processor.

**You can also use date paste, but it needs to be made without any water.
 

Frosting Ingredients

• ⅔ cup pitted lightly packed dates
• ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp. tahini
• ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3–4 tbsp. cacao powder
• 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil

Frosting Ingredients (Alternate Version)

• ½ cup warm water
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup tahini or almond butter
• 3 tbsp. melted coconut butter
• 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 3–4 tbsp. cacao powder (depending on how chocolatey you want it)
• ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Cake Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F).

Whisk together all dry ingredients in a bowl. Blend the dates, water, vanilla, and coconut oil in a blender until smooth. Add the liquid mixture to the dry, along with the zucchini and the chocolate chips. Gently stir it all together.

Scoop the batter into a greased 8″ × 8″ pan. Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Let cool completely before adding the frosting or slicing it. It should be very moist!

Frosting Instructions

Blend the dates and coconut milk until smooth in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Pour the frosting over the cool cake. Place into the fridge for 2–4 hours, or until it firms up (speed up the process by sticking it in the freezer for 1 hour).

Frosting Instructions (Alternate Version)

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour over the cooled cake. Place into the fridge for at least 3 hours, or until it has thickened.

 Heather Pace

 A classically trained chef turned raw-dessert chef, she is a
 travel bug, a chocoholic, and a certified yoga instructor. 

 www.sweetlyraw.com